Conditioning ring holding apparatus for lapping machines



L. DAY ET AL July 21, 1959 CONDITIONING RING HOLDING APPARATUS FORLAPPING MACHINES E I! 4 7 5 9 1 5 2 .m 6 m d e 1 .II m III I a I law/aw!V was 5! Jess/ 4 .DoaA/cK BY W HE/e 477081115X;

Wed St te Pam Q 2,895,261 essnniss rse irr tant: Ari AR" Arms 7 FORLAPPING MACHINES Lawrence my and Joseph Dobric'k, Chicago, and ArthurKay, Evanston, Ill., assign'ors to Spitfire Tool and Machine Co., Inc'.,Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application February 25, 1957,Serial No. 641,897 8 Claims. (31. 51-131 O'ur invention relates to newand useful improvements in conditioning ring holding apparatus forlapping machines and has for its principal object the provision in anapparatus of this character of an arrangement of parts for releasablyholding a conditioning ring on a rotating lap surface of a lappingmachine.

Another important object of our invention is the provision in anapparatus of this character of a method of vertically adjusting theholding apparatus with respect to the lap surface of the machine toenable the user to compensate for the Wear of such conditioning rings.

A further object of our invention is the provision in an apparatus ofthis character of a method to prevent forward and backward agitation ofthe conditioning rings with respect to the rotatable movement of the lapsurface of the lapping machine.

Yet another and equally important object 'of our invention is theprovision in an apparatus of this character of a means for pivoting theholding apparatus about a vertieal axis so as to laterally adjust,position and retain the conditioning rings relative to the lap surfaceof the machine.

Still another object of our invention is in the provision of anapparatus of this character having a latch for releasing the holdingapparatus from the rings so that such rings may be readily removed orre-positioned.

Another object of our invention is the provision in an apparatus of this,character of a. conditioning ring holder that is recessed with respectto the inner circum ference of the ring so as to permit the insertioninto the ring of a work pressure plate without necessitating removal ofthe ring from the holding apparatus.

Other objects will appear hereinafter. The invention consists in thenovel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter describedand claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

Fig. l is a perspective View of a lapping machine with our improvedholding apparatus associated therewith;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of our conditioning ringholding apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of our holding apparatus;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detailed sectional view taken onhne 44 of Fig.3; I

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of our holding apparatus in openposition.

Our invention relates to a holding apparatus for conditioning ringswhich are commonly associated with lapping machines. The purpose andfunction of such conditioning rings is to recondition and/or maintainthe surface of the lap in a substantially fiat condition. These ringsalso provide a means for holding work upon the rotating lap surface ofthe machine. To function properly these rings must be held in arelatively fixed position with respect to the rotating lap surface andyet 2 be allowed to rotate freely about their own vertical axes insuchfixed position relative to the lap surface. v T

To accomplish the holding and positioning of the conditioning rings onthe lap surface of the lapping machine, we have provided on a machineofthis character having a base ll) which terminates into a laterallyextending skirt 11, a plurality of holding devices 12. Each of thesedevices 12 includes a hollow sleeve 13 mounted on the skirt 11 adjacentthe edge of the lap surface 14 of the machine. Slidably contained insuch sleeve 13 is a member 15. This member 15 consists of a plurality ofparts each being of equal size so as to be slidably mounted in thesleeve 13. Each part of themember 15 has a centrally located aperture16, with the aperture of the lowermost part 17 internally threaded (seeFig. 4). Adapted to pass through the aperture 16 and to have threadedengagement with the threaded aperture of the part 17, is a bolt 18. Thisbolt 18 holds the parts of the member 15 together. The bolt 18 has anenlarged head 19 provided with a socket opening for an Allen wrench forthreading the bolt into the aperture 17. The uppermost parts 20 and 21of the member 15 have formed in their confronting surfacesdiagrammatically opposed grooves 22 and 23, respectively. These grooves22 and 23 extend transversely of the aperture 16 formed in the parts ofthe member 15, as shown in Fig. 4.

The arrangement is such that when the parts 20 and 21 are connectedtogether by the bolt 18, the confronting grooves 22 and 23 form acircular passage extending transversely of the length of the member 15(Figs. 2-4).

The sleeve 13 is provided with a set screw 24 engageable with the member15 so as to lock the member 15 a vertical relation with respect to thesleeve 13. As such, the member 15 is vertically adjustable with respectto the sleeve 13 as well as to the skirt 11 of the machine. Slidablyjournalled intothe passage formed by the grooves 22 and 23, is a rod 25.This rod 25 has a slot 26 formed therein. The bolt 18 is adapted to passthrough the slot 26 of the rod 25 when it connects the parts of themember 15 together (Fig. 4). As such, the rod 25 may be moved laterallyof the bolt 18 and the member 15 a distance equal to the length of theslot 26 Thus, the rod 25 is adjustable horizontally with respect to thesleeve 13 and the member 15 in a parallel relation with respect to theskirt 11. I One end of the rod 25 is bifurcated as at 27. Mounted inth'ebifurcation is a substantially triangularly shaped plate 28. Thisplate 28 is connected in the bifurcation 27 by a pin 29. v The base edge30 of the triangular shaped plate 28 ;is "notched as at 31. Adjacenteither side of the notch 31 and to the top of the plate 28 are mountedblocks 32 and 33. These blocks 32 and 33 are fastened to the plate 28 bymeans of screws 34. At the innermost end of the blocks 3233 andjournaled therein and extending therebetween is a pivot pin 35.Pivotally carried by the pivot pin 35 between the blocks 32 and 33 is alatch lever 36. This lever 36 is of equal thickness and length, as arethe blocks 32 and 33, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Carried by the lever 36and extending upwardly therefrom, is a knurled fingerpiece 37 tofacilitate manually pivoting the lever 36 about the pin 36. Extendingdownwardly from the underside of such lever 36 is a roller bearing 38.The plate 28 at its opposite free corners provides like roller bearings93 and 40. These latter roller bearings 39 and 40 are guide rollers andas such are offset with respect to the roller bearing 38 of the latchlever 36. The guide rollers 39 and 40 will cradle the outer curved topedge 41 of the,

conditioning ring 42 therebetween. The roller bearing 38 will engage theinner top edge of the ring 42, as seen in Fig. 2. In such construction,the downwardly disposed rollers 38, 39 and 40 will form a triangularlyshaped guide and holding arrangement having engagement with the innerand outer top edge of the conditioning ring 42. i

To accommodate the roller 38, the inner surface adjacent the top edge ofthe ring 42 is provided with a recessed raceway forming a shoulder 43,the depth of the raceway being equal to the length of the roller 38 andthe width of the shoulder 43 being equal to the width of the roller 38,so that when such roller is disposed into the raceway there is a flushinterior surface to the ring 42. The edge 30 of the triangularly shapedplate 28 tapers rearwardly from the forward edge of the notch 31, andthe lever 36 has its forward edge 44 curved to correspond to thecurvature of the ring 42 (Fig. 3) so that no parts of such holdingdevice protrude inwardly of the innermost vertical edge of the ring 42for reasons hereinafter made apparent.

In the lapping operation, the work is placed within the ring 42 and apressure plate 45 is placed thereon. To readily permit insertion orremoval of such pressure plate 45 from within the ring 42, it isadvisable to have an unobstructed vertical Wall of the ring 42. Theholding device, as hereinbefore explained, must not protrude into theinterior opening of the conditioning ring 42.

The block 32 is provided with a threaded aperture in its top surface. Alatch arm 46 having a threaded pin 46' is adapted to be threaded intothe apertureof the block 32. This arm 46 is provided with a handle 47 tofacilitate rotating said arm 46 relative to the block 32. The arm 46 isof sufiicient size so that it will override the top surface of the lever36 when it is pivoted into a horizontal plane as seen in Fig. 2. Whenthe arm 46 is so pivoted, it is threaded into tight engagement with theblock 32.

When it is desired to pivot the lever 36 upwardly, the arm 46 is turnedso that it will unthread itself from the aperture of the block 32 andlie in a vertical plane with respect to the block 32, so that the lever36 is free to pivot about the pin 35 (Fig. In such pivoted position thering 42 may be readily removed from the lap surface of the machine.

The hereinafter explained arrangement of parts permits pivotaladjustment of the rod 25 with respect to the axis of the sleeve 13,lateral adjustment through the slot 26 with respect to the member 15,and vertical adjustment between the member 15 and the sleeve 13. Assuch, the conditioning ring 42 which is to be held thereby can berelocated or retained in a desired position on the surface of the lap 14when such lap 14 is rotated through a-horizontal plane.

Through the holding device as described herein, the ring 42 isrestric'tively 'held on the rotating surface of the lap 14 while at thesame time, through the frictional contact with such rotating lap 14, thering 42 is permitted to rotate about its own vertical axis and relativeto the a lapping machine including a surface conditioning ring providedwith an interior circumferential shoulder, said device comprising aring-holding means, and said means including three triangularly disposeddepending roller bearings engageable with one edge portion of said ring,means for positioning said roller bearings relative to said ring and inspaced confronting relation to the lap surface of the machine, means forsupporting said positioning means and said roller bearings relative tosaid ring, means for vertically adjusting said supporting means relativeto the lap surface of the machine, means carried by said positioningmeans and operatively connected to said supporting means for laterallyadjusting said positioning means relative to said ring, means forpivoting one of said roller bearings out of engagement with saidinterior circumferential shoulder to permit removal of said ring fromthe lap surface, and means for latching said roller hearings inring-holding and retaining position.

- device comprising a ring-holding means, said means inrotation of thelap 14. Such rotation of the ring 42 relative to the rotation of the lap14 will resurface and recondition such lap 14 while in its normal use.It will also by reason of its adjustable features prevent wear on alocalized portion of such lap surface.

While we have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying our invention into effect, this is capable ofvariation and modifiaction without departing from the spirit of theinvention. We therefore do not wish to be limited tothe precise detailsof construction set forth, but desire to avail ourselves of suchvariations and modifications as come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for holding and retaining a work-holdingsurface-conditioning ring upon a rotating lap surface of cluding threetriangularly disposed depending roller bearings engageable with one edgeportion of said ring, means for positioning said roller bearingsrelative to said ring and in spaced confronting relation to the lapsurface of the machine, means for supporting said positioning means andsaid roller bearings relative to said ring, means for verticallyadjusting said supporting means relative to the lap surface of themachine, means carried by said positioning means and operativelyconnected to said supporting means for laterally adjusting saidpositioning means relative to said ring, means for pivoting one of saidroller bearings out of engagement with said interior circumferentialshoulder to permit removal of said ring from the lap surface, means forlatching said roller bearings in ring-holding and retaining position,and means for releasing said latching means to permit pivotal movementof said one of said roller bearings from ring-holding and retainingposition.

3. A device for holding and retaining a work-holdingsurface-conditioning ring upon a rotating lap surface of a lappingmachine including a surface conditioning m'ng provided with an interiorcircumferential shoulder, said device comprising a ring-holding means,said means including three triangularly disposed depending rollerbearings engageable with one edge portion of said ring, means forpositioning said roller bearings relative to said ring and in spacedconfronting relation to the lap surface of the machine, a member forsupporting the positioning means and said roller bearings relative tosaid ring, a sleeve carried by the machine adjacent the peripheraledgeof the lap surface for slidably retaining said supporting member,means for vertically adjusting said supporting member relative to thelap surface of the machine, means carried by said positioning means andoperatively connected to said supporting member for laterally adjustingsaid positioning means relative to said ring, means for pivoting one ofsaid roller bearings out of engagement with said interiorcircumferential shoulder to permit re- I moval of said ring from the lapsurface, and means for ineans and said roller bearings relative to saidring, a sleeve carried by the machine adjacent the peripheral edge ofthe lap surface for slidably retaining said supporting member, means forvertically adjusting said sup porting member relative to the lap surfaceof the machine, means carried by said positioning means and operativelyconnected to said supporting member for laterally adjusting saidpositioning means relative to said ring, means for pivoting one of saidroller bearings out of engagement with said interior circumferentialshoulder to permit removal of said ring from the lap surface, means forlatching said roller hearings in ring-holding and retaining position,means for releasing said latching means to permit pivotal movement ofsaid one of said roller bearings from ring-holding and retainingposition.

5. A device for holding and retaining a Work-holdingsurface-conditioning ring upon a rotating lap surface of a lappingmachine including a surface conditioning ring provided with an interiorcircumferential shoulder, said device comprising a ring-holding means,said means including three triangularly disposed depending rollerbearings with certain of said roller bearings engageable with the outerperipheral edge of said ring and the remaining roller bearings engagingsaid interior circumferential shoulder so as to rotatably retain saidring relative to the rotating lap surface, means for positioning saidroller bearings relative to said ring and in spaced confronting relationto the lap surface of the machine, means for supporting said positioningmeans and said roller bearings relative to said ring, means forvertically adjusting said supporting means relative to the lap surfaceof the machine, means carried by said positioning means and operativelyconnected to said supporting means for laterally adjusting saidpositioning means relative to said ring, means for pivoting one of saidroller bearings out of engagement with said interior circumferentialshoulder to permit removal of said ring from the lap surface.

6. A device for holding and retaining a Work-holdingsurface-conditioning ring upon a rotating lap surface of a lappingmachine including a surface conditioning ring provided with a interiorcircumferential shoulder, said device comprising a ring-holding means,said means including three triangnlarly disposed depending rollerbearings engageable with one edge portion of said ring, means forpositioning said roller bearings relative to said ring and in spacedconfronting relation to the lap surface of the machine, said positioningmeans including a horizontally disposed plate carried at one end of apositioning rod, said rod having a slidable connection to a verticalsupport carried by the machine adjacent the peripheral edge of therotating lap surface, means for rotating said support about its verticalaxis for positioning said positioning means and said roller bearingsrelative to the lap stuface of the machine, means for laterallyadjusting said rod with respect to said support for positioning saidroller bearings relative to the lap surface of the machine, means forvertically adjusting said support and said positioning means relative tothe lap surface of the machine, means for pivoting one of said rollerbearings out of engagement with said interior circumferential shoulderto permit removal of said ring from the lap surface, means for latchingsaid roller bearings in ring-holding and retaining position, and meansfor releasing said latching means to permit pivotal movement of said oneof said roller bearings from ring-holding and retaining position.

7. A device for holding and retaining a workholding surface-conditioningring upon a rotating lap surface of a lapping machine including asurface conditioning ring provided with an interior circumferentialshoulder, said device comprising a ring-holding means, said meansincluding three triangularly disposed depending roller bearings withcertain of said roller bearings engageable with the outer peripheraledge of said ring and the remaining roller bearings engaging saidinterior circumferential shoulder so as to rotatably retain said ringrelative to the rotating lap surface, means for positioning said rollerbearings relative to said ring and in spaced confronting relation to thelap surface of the machine, said positioning means including ahorizontally disposed plate carried at one end of a positioning rod,said rod having a slidable connection to a vertical support carried bythe machine adjacent the peripheral edge of the rotating lap surface,means for rotating said support about its vertical axis for positioningsaid positioning means and said roller bearings relative to the lapsurface of the machine, means for laterally adjusting said rod withrespect to said support for positioning said roller bearings relative tothe lap surface of the machine, means for vertically adjusting saidsupport and said positioning means relative to the lap surface of themachine, means for pivoting one of said roller bearings out ofengagement with said interior circumferential shoulder to permit removalof said ring from the lap surface, and means for latching said rollerbearings in ring-holding and retaining position.

8. A device for holding and retaining a workholding surface-conditioningring upon a rotating lap surface of a lapping machine including asurface conditioning ring provided with an interior circumferentialshoulder, said device comprising a ring-holding means, said meansincluding three triangularly disposed depending roller bearings withcertain of said roller bearings engageable with the outer peripheraledge of said ring and one of said roller bearings engaging said interiorcircumferential shoulder so as to rotatably retain said ring relative tothe rotating lap surface, means for positioning said roller bearingsrelative to said ring and in spaced confronting relation with respect tothe lap surface of the machine, said positioning means including ahorizontally disposed plate carried at one end of a positioning rod,said rod having a slidable connection to a vertical support carried bythe machine adjacent the peripheral edge of the rotating lap surface,said support including a sleeve carried by the machine adjacent theperipheral edge of the rotating lap surface, a member rotatably andvertically movable in said sleeve, said member having a passage formedtherein extending transversely of its length, said positioning rodcontained in the passage of said member and slidably adjustabletherethrough to position said roller bearings relative to the lapsurface of the machine, means for rotatably adjusting said memberrelative to said sleeve, means for vertically adjusting said memberrelative to said sleeve, means for laterally adjusting said rod Withrespect to said member for positioning said roller bearings relative tothe lap surface of the machine, means for pivoting one of said rollerbearings out of engagement With said interior circumferential shoulderto permit removal of said ring from the lap surface, and means forlatching said one of said roller bearings in ring-holding and retainingposition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re.23,937 Bullard Feb. 5, 1955 1,880,875 Deutsch Oct. 4, 1932 2,627,144Roshong Feb. 3, 1953 2,772,521 Voytech Dec. 4, 1956 2,782,571 HansonFeb, 26, 1957

